Extracted with kind permission from Maddison McQueen and the Cupcake Mystery, Book 1 in the Red Collie Mysteries, by Kate Gordon-Smith.

Chapter 1: Ready to ice

Maddison McQueen bounded through the back door of her grandparents’ house, her red and white Border Collie, Ruby, bouncing beside her.

“Hi Grandma!” she called, placing the container of cupcakes she’d brought from home on the bench as Ruby dashed over, her fluffy, white-tipped tail whirling round and round.

“Hi Maddie,” her grandmother replied, leaning down to Ruby, holding her hands clear. “Hello love, I can’t pat you. I must keep my hands clean for baking.”

“Good girl, Ruby. On your bed,” Maddie instructed, nodding at the rug kept by the back door for their visits.

“You all set to finish your cupcakes?”

“I think so.”

Today was drop-off and judging day for the baking and produce section of their hometown’s biggest annual event, the Wānaka A&P Show. 

Maddie and Grandma were both entering the cupcake competition and had two hours to ice their cupcakes perfectly before Grandma drove them over to the showgrounds. The judges would then taste and compare dozens of other cupcakes and all kinds of other delicious baking.

Grandma had won the Best Cupcake ribbon four times prior to last year. Before that she’d won the Best Fruit Cake category for six years.

Last year – and Maddie was still embarrassed about this – she had sneezed on Grandma’s cupcakes when she put them on the judging table! 

Of course, the judges couldn’t taste them, and a lady called Martha won. Grandma was disappointed because she said Martha was too competitive and argued every point whenever they played tennis together. Grandma was very nice about Maddie’s sneeze though, saying it wasn’t her fault she was allergic to the flowers being judged in the same hall. 

Maddie knew Grandma was determined to win again this year because she had been testing new cupcake flavours for several weeks. Grandpa said he never wanted to eat another cupcake again in his life… but Maddie didn’t believe him for one second!

Maddie was entering the twelve years and under category for the second time. She shuddered, thinking about the boring vanilla cupcakes she’d entered last year. They were nice enough, but she was only nine years old then. Now she knew a lot more about baking and all kinds of other stuff like training Ruby, which was one of her favourite things to do.

Setting the passionfruit and white chocolate cupcakes out, she smiled. She’d baked them last night and they still looked perfect.

“Dad said they were the best cupcakes he’d ever eaten, but I know Dads have to say nice things about their daughter’s baking.”

“They do look good, Maddie, well done. And if I know that son of mine, he’ll never say something he doesn’t mean so they must be delicious. I look forward to trying one when they’re iced and ready to go.”

Maddie grinned as she removed the icing ingredients from her backpack. “Can I set up here next to you?”

“Of course. Do you want the little steps?”

Maddie sighed. It was annoying to be so short. One day, maybe, she’d grow up to be as tall as Dad. He was even taller and stronger than Grandpa. Grandpa said his family were descended from a giant Scotsman who immigrated to New Zealand way back and married a Māori woman. Or maybe she’d be more like Mum’s family who were all short. 

With another sigh, she went to get the steps before measuring white chocolate buttons into a bowl. “What flavour did you make in the end, Grandma? The other day it sounded like you were having trouble deciding.” 

“Pistachio and ginger.”

Frowning, Maddie looked up. “Will I like them?”

“You like pistachio nuts and you like gingernut biscuits. Try the ginger icing.” Grandma held out a little spoon.

Maddie licked. “Oh, spicy!”

“Hopefully not too spicy for the judges.”

Footsteps clomped up the footpath to the back door. “Any cupcakes ready to sample?” came Grandpa’s deep voice.

“Don’t be silly, John.” Grandma laughed. “You said you didn’t want any more and they’re not iced yet because they’re still cooling on the table by the door.”

“Don’t be silly yourself, Bev,” Grandpa replied as he stepped inside. “No cupcakes on this table.”

“What?” Grandma shrieked as her plastic bowl of ginger icing hit the floor.

Chapter 2: Gone?

“Of course they’re on the table!” Grandma shouted as she bustled across the kitchen. “Two trays. I put them there myself only twenty minutes ago.”

“No. Stay,” Maddie told Ruby who was eyeing up the gloops of icing on the floor. “Where did you put them?”

Grandma stared at the big wooden dining table where the metal cooling racks sat empty. “Right here. I know I did!” She pushed her hair out of her eyes, leaving a smudge of icing on her face.

“You’re sure, Bev?” Grandpa looked worried.

“Yes, I’m sure! You were out in the garden. Maddie hadn’t arrived. I pulled them out of the oven and put them on the racks. One tray had risen a bit better than the other and I was waiting to taste one.”

“Gone now.” Grandpa stated the obvious.

“But where?” Maddie asked. “And who took them?”

Grandpa looked at Ruby.

“She wouldn’t.” Maddie shook her head. “Anyway, they weren’t there when we came in.”

Grandma stared at her. “Are you sure?”

Maddie nodded. “I would have noticed if they were.”

Grandma shook her head in disbelief.

“Your friend’s dog hasn’t got loose again, has it?” Grandpa asked, looking around the garden for Bear, a chocolate Labrador who belonged to Maddie’s friend Josh. He lived with his family in the house in-between Maddie and her grandparents’ place. Bear had an unpopular habit of knocking over rubbish bins and rummaging for scraps if he got out.

“He was inside when we walked past,” Maddie replied. “He barked hello from the window.” Ruby whined and leaned on Maddie’s leg. “She knows we’re upset.”

Spinning round, eyes darting everywhere, Grandma said, “Tell her to go find the cupcakes.”

Maddie rubbed Ruby’s neck. “Think about it. Bear couldn’t carry the cupcake trays, could he?” She went out the door, looking around, Ruby close on her heels. “If it was Bear, he’d have knocked the trays to the ground, but I can’t see them anywhere.”

Grandma followed, her eyes flicking left and right. “No,” she sighed. “I can’t see them either.” Her voice had a serious tone. “John, are you sure you haven’t hidden them as some kind of joke?”

“Oh, Grandma, he wouldn’t do that!” Maddie exclaimed.

“I might like a laugh, Bev, but I do know this means a lot to you.” Grandpa looked upset. “So no, I didn’t take your cursed cupcakes.” He stomped off along the path to his shed.

“Fine!” Grandma snapped. “Get in a huff.” She turned and Maddie saw her eyes were wide with worry and frustration.

“Grandma?” Maddie followed her into the kitchen where she flung cupboards open and banged them shut, as if someone had hidden the cupcakes. Seeing Ruby eyeing up the icing, Maddie wiped it off the floor.

“Yes, dear.” Another cupboard thumped shut.

“Maybe Ruby can find them. We can look along the street in case someone dropped them. I mean, someone must have come in the door and taken them, mustn’t they?”

Grandma stared at Maddie for a long moment. “Angela Barlow.”

“Who?” 

Grandma put the icing, bowl and all, into the rubbish bin. “Angela Barlow. Runner-up in the cupcake competition the last two years.” She paused with the fridge open. “Ruthless lady according to those who play bridge with her. Very competitive. Lives along the road.”

“What’s bridge?”

“A card game, dear. I never liked it, but some do. Goodness! I can just about picture that woman sneaking up the steps.”

“Do you really think she’d steal your cupcakes?”

“Maddison.” Grandma’s desperate eyes locked on hers. “Do you know? I think she might.”

“That’s an awful thing to do to someone.”

“Yes. It is. It really is.” Grandma sounded more distracted by the minute.

“So should Ruby and I have a look?”

Grandma strode to the fridge, turning the oven on as she went. “If you want. But don’t be long. You’ve still got to ice your cupcakes and I’ve got to mix, bake and cool another batch as fast as I can. Angela Barlow is not going to stop me winning that ribbon this year!”